This is a young sommelier's adventure through wine, liquor and the world. You will find no ratings here. You will find somethings that are sometimes geeky, sometimes irreverent, and always presented in my own unique (and dyslexic) way. Hopefully, the content inspires exploration, a sense of adventure, a good icebreaker for conversation, and even a good sense of humor about the magical juice we call wine, the insane elixirs of ting the world of liquor, and the culture surrounding all of it. .

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

A little taste of Italy

From a tasting done yesterday at Ripple:

Brunello and Sagrantino, two tastes of epic tradition in Italy. Now most people know about Brunello. It is one of the most lauded wines made in Tuscany, and for a good reason. It's elegance is unrivaled and the flavors as almost haunting. They typically have wonderful cherries and figs, mixed with earth and an amount of baking spices that feels almost like a chef put them there. The La Poderina exemplifies all of that.

One thing to know about it: the 2006 is heralded as on of the best vintages in recent memory because of the ability to drink now, or hold and drink later. This wine shows of all of the qualities of Brunello, but is also light enough that is can do without food and be a great sipping wine on its own. Below is the link for wine searcher about the wine:

And then, there was the Sagrantino. This in one of my favorite wines from one of my favorite regions. Sagrantino is one of the main grapes in Umbria's region of Montefalco. This region makes a lot of different wines, but red wise is known for two different ones: Rosso di Montefalco and Sagrantino di Montefalco. The Rosso is usually a blend involving Sangiovese and Sagrantino. Sagrantino on it's own is a hugely bold wine, with intense tannins, ripe fruits, and gritty earth. When blended with the softer Sangiovese, the fruits become lush, the finish velvety and soft, and the tannins are fare less intense. In other words, it makes the wine a lot easier to drink on its own.

The Colpetrone Sagrantino was a huge wine, perfect for the current cold weather in DC. It screams for food such as lamb and is perfect for a warm stew and a fire. If you like big wines that grab your attention, or want something interesting to set down for a while, this wine is the perfect one.